1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a junction box and connector which include connecting terminals for electrically connecting a connector, fuse, and the like to a wiring circuit, and particularly to a junction box, connector, and connecting terminals for use in the junction box and connector which are lightweight and thin, have a high attachment freedom degree in freely changing connection positions with outer wiring circuits such as a harness, and can have waterproof/dustproof capabilities.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, to branch a wiring of a car or the like, a junction box (J/B) has been used for purposes of space saving and cost reduction. FIG. 31 is a plan view of the junction box, FIG. 32 is a plan view of a bus bar contained in the junction box, FIG. 33 is a sectional view of a part VII of FIG. 31, and FIG. 34 is a sectional view of a part VIII of FIG. 31.
This type of a junction box 101 is constituted of a lower cover 102, a bus bar 103 attached to the lower cover 102, and an upper cover 105 which seals the lower cover and bus bar and to which a connector, fuse, and the like are attached. In the junction box 101, as shown in FIG. 32, the bus bar 103 formed, for example, of a pressed/punched metal plate of copper alloy, aluminum alloy, or the like is used to branch the wiring. Moreover, the junction box 101 also includes a function, for example, of a fuse box, when a fuse 107 is incorporated halfway in the wiring circuit constituted by the bus bar 103.
A connector 107 shown in FIG. 33 is a connector connected to the wiring circuit constituted of the bus bar 103. A connector 105a can be connected to the connector 107, when a connecting terminal portion 103a formed by bending a tip end of the bus bar 103 upwards by 90° is passed upwards through an upper cover 105 via a through hole 105b formed in the cover. Moreover, for a fuse attachment portion 105c to which a fuse 108 is attached as shown in FIG. 34, a connecting terminal portion 103d is formed by bending the tip end of the bus bar 103 with a slit 103b formed therein upwards by 90°, and is passed upwards through the upper cover 105 through a through hole 105d formed in the cover. Thereby, the connecting terminal portion can directly be connected to a leg 108a for connecting the fuse 108, or can be connected using a so-called female to female (F—F) terminal.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 35, the bus bars 103 and insulation plates (IP) 109 having functions of supporting and insulating the bus bars 103 are alternately superimposed to form a wiring circuit (multilayered wiring circuit) 110 which has a multilayered structure. A junction box 112 structured to contain the multilayered wiring circuit 110 in a housing for entirely protecting the outside of the circuit as shown in FIG. 36 is frequently used.
However, in the above-described junction box 101, the bus bar 103 is manufactured by punching the metal plate with a die and the wiring circuit is formed. Therefore, when the bus bars 103 having various shapes are manufactured, different dies are required, and much cost is taken. Moreover, the bus bar 103 is formed of a thick metal, a weight of the junction box 101 therefore increases, and there is a problem that it is difficult to thin the junction box 101. Furthermore, in the junction box 112, the number of layers of the multilayered wiring circuit 110 needs to be minimized in order to prevent the weight and cost of the entire junction box from increasing. Additionally, the multilayered wiring circuit 110 having a small number of layers is used in accordance with a connection mode. For this, a circuit is drawn so as to avoid a wiring circuit of another layer and through holes 111 through which the connecting terminal portions 103a, 103d are passed, and a long circuit needs to be formed. This causes a problem that it is very difficult to lighten and thin the junction box 112. Furthermore, a portion to which the connector or the fuse is attached is integrally formed in the box. Therefore, each of these junction boxes 101, 112 has problems that a size is large to some degree and an attachment position of the box in the car is restricted. Moreover, the portion to which the connector or the fuse is attached has an integral structure. In this case, for example, the fuse attached portion is disposed in a front surface of an instrument panel of the car with the conventional junction box 101 or 112 disposed therein in consideration of enhancement of maintenance properties. This possibly conversely causes a problem that connection operation properties for connecting the connector of the outer wiring circuit are deteriorated. Furthermore, instead of using the connecting terminal portions 103a, 103d, connecting terminals are connected to the wiring circuit in order to attach the connector, fuse, and the like. In this case, it cannot be said that connection reliability is secure.